Survey lists priorities for city parks

Salinans want to enjoy special events, adult fitness and wellness, nature programs, outdoor adventure programs and water fitness in their city parks.

They’d like to see more hiking and biking trails, an indoor track, park shelters, nature areas and an indoor aquatic facility.

And there’s strong support for the parks.

Those were some of the results from a survey Salina city commissioners requested from the ETC Institute in Olathe. Dick Horton, the city’s parks consultant, presented the results at a study session Monday afternoon.

The six-page survey was conducted by mail and through phone interviews. Almost 700 were returned, showing strong support and interest in the parks.

Chris Cotten, Salina parks and recreation director, said that swimming is very important but pools are expensive to operate. The city would need two pools, said the former competitive swimmer, one kept cooler for competition and one for recreation and water aerobics.

The other problem is staffing, which is why Kenwood Cove closes in mid-August: Most of the lifeguards are students who go back to school.

Code enforced

At the regular meeting following the study session, commissioners decided that Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken restaurant, which hopes to build a restaurant on Ohio Street south of the intersection with Crawford Street, will have to comply with “potty parity.”

Salina developer Jeff Maes requested a local code amendment, returning the city to the former International Building codes, which were replaced with Uniform Plumbing Code standards. Since Popeye’s is planning an occupancy rate of 52, under the IBC, it would have to supply one water closet in the ladies' restroom. Under the UPC, it will have to supply two.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny the request.

Range in works

Commissioners also voted 5-0 to direct staff to prepare an outside-the-city water and sanitary sewer connection agreement and consent to future annexation with Pestinger Enterprises and Mick and Shelly Bigham, who own property northwest of Salina.

The Bighams want to open an indoor shooting range, pro shop, snack bar and training center on land Pestinger Enterprises owns south of North Street and west of Broadway Boulevard, which is in the county.

Concurrently, the Salina Planning Commission will work to change the city zoning codes to allow an indoor shooting range in some industrial and commercials zones.